Morris hangs on by a thread
THE closest of finishes seen in recent times took place in the penultimate Manchester and District Cross Country league at the University playing fields, Wythenshawe.
It was there that Stockport’s Jack Morris held on valiantly to his perfect cumulative score of four points by winning every league match thus far – but this time Morris did not have it all his own way.
His winning kingdom was threatened by Chris Farrell of Horwich RMI Harriers in the most amazing sprint finish of the season, with Morris just holding off his adversary by no more than a vest’s width.
Both competitors were given the same time of 32:04 for the approximately 10 kilometre course which was of a firmer nature than on previous outings in the league at other venues and there was considerable success for other Stockport senior men in the same event.
Just two places behind came international athlete Andrew Davies to finish in third spot (32:21) and followed in, in fifth finish, by Stockport club mate Jack Nixon who had exchanged the running on the boards indoors the previous weekend at Sheffield for the rough and tumble of Wythenshawe playing fields.
To complete the team, George Cooke (42nd), Bashir Hussein (46th and also first over 50) and Kevan Garner (77th) ensured a well earned team bronze medal for the six counters.
At the other end of the age scale, Stockport’s Jasmine Read scored an easy victory in the under 11 girls’ event (6:20) with Freya Murdoch providing back up in fourth (6:35).
In the boys’ equivalent race, Harry Ahearn completed the course in fifth spot for team Stockport (6:20) and there was also considerable success for the under 13 girls’ and under 15 boys’ teams both of which recorded useful third team finishes.
Heather Corden showed good pace judgement to finish fourth in the under 17 ladies’ category race (24:40)
All the age group teams will have home advantage for the final match at Woodbank Park which takes place on Saturday, 11th February when no doubt senior athlete Morris will be relishing the prospect of a possible five wins out of five.
His club mates will be urging him on to try to achieve a possible clean sweep in the season’s competition and surely this competitor will deserve to be held aloft and chaired if he manages to achieve this.
Sheltered from the elements, several Harriers participated in the annual Northern athletics indoor championships at the English institute of sport in Sheffield and it was a silver lining for Natasha Harrison in the under 20s 400 metre event in finishing in the silver medal position in 58:13 just a very short stride behind eventual winner Rachel Crorken of Wakefield and District AC who took the title in 57:51.
There were also bronze medal championship finishes in the senior 3,000 metres for Louise Rudd (10:10:52) and for Grant Anderson in the under 20’s 800 metres (2:02:74) and to round the afternoon off.
Stockport’s Katie Waterworth off also came away with a bronze medal in the under 17s triple jump with a best effort of 11:01 metres.
This Saturday the fourth of six meetings of the Harriers’ sponsored primary schools cross country meets take place at Woodbank Stadium starting at 10.30am.
On the same day, twenty miles away starting at 11am will be the annual Northern Cross Country Championships at Knowsley Safari Park and no one is going to make a monkey out of some of the talent the Harriers will be sending to this most auspicious of occasions.
After a break of approximately five years, Wednesday evening pub runs are being re-introduced by the Harriers, commencing on the 1st of February.
They will be suitable for those established road runners wishing to participate in distances from three to about seven miles and will be centred on the Star and Garter public house (61 Higher Hillgate) at 7pm with the lead coach being Alexis Dinsmor. Details will be placed to the website www.stockportharriers. co.uk soon and with adult beginners being catered for now on Tuesdays at Woodbank stadium (also 7pm) there’s never been a better time for starting a fitness regime for adults in 2017.